Process eor producing aluminum



L=. BURGESS. PROCESS FOR PBODUCINGIALUMINUM CHLORID.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.3. 1919- Patented Nov. 11, 1919.

2 SHEETSSHEET I INVENTOR. (7 3 MB A TTORNEY. 11

WITNESS.-

L. BURGESS. PROCESS FOR PRODUCING ALUMINUM CHLORID.

APPLICATION FILED JAN-3, I919- Iatented Nov. 11, 1919.

UNITED STATES PATENT onnrcn.

LOUIS BURGESS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO STANDARD OIL COMPANY, A CORPO- BATION OF NEW JERSEY.

PROCESS FOR PRODUCING ALUMINUM GHLORID.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 11, 1919.

Application filed January 3, 1919; Serial No. 269,415.

To all whom it may concern:

tain new and useful Improvement in Procchemical scale in relation to its affinity for I csses for Producing Aluminum Chlorid, of which the followin is a specification.

My invention re ates to new and useful improvements in processes for the production of aluminum chlorid, and particularly contemplates the production of anhydrous aluminum chlorid by reacting upon aluminum carbid with a chlorid of an element below aluminum in the electro-chemical scale in relation to the aflinity for chlorin.

Figure 1 illustrates a form of apparatus in which the process may be performed, and Fig. 2 illustrates a form of apparatus used in a modification of the process.

I have discovered that anhydrous alumi num chlorid (AlCl can be produced by reacting upon aluminum carbid (ALC with chlorids of elements below aluminum in the electro-chemical scale in relation to the aflinity for chlorin, the result of the reaction being the production of anhydrous aluminum chlorid.

The chlorids used can, for example, be the following: tinchlorids (SnCl and SnGI zinc chlorid (ZnCl bismuth chlorid (BiCl both of the chlorids of mercury I-IgCl and HgCl), cadmium chlorid CdCl the lead chlorids (PbCl, PbCl and cupric and cuprous chlorid (CuCl and From a chemical standpoint, I have demonstrated that any one of v the above chlorids can be used'to react upon aluminum carbid to produce anhydrous aluminum chlorid, and I do not limit myself to any particular chlorid of the class mentioned, as

the invention contemplates the employment of any chlorid in'which the electro-positive element is below aluminum in the electrochlorin. l

The element with which the chlorin is combined in the form of a chlorid, and the carbon which is combined with the aluminum in the form of a carbid, are ordinarily left behind in a free condition,-but I do not wish.

to be limited in this respect, as these elements in some cases enter into combinations,

thus, if aluminum carbid and a chlorid of sulfur be employed under certain conditions sulfids of carbon may result, together with the chlorid of aluminum.

In describing my invention in detail so that it may be understood by those skilled in the art, I will describe it, byway of example, as being carriedout by reactin upon aluminum carbid (Al C with lea chlorid (Peon) only. The with reference to lead chlorid .will apply to those chlorids whose temperature of boiling or sublimation is above the kindling temperature at which they react with aluminum num carbid and lead chlorid in connectionwith one form of apparatus adapted for-the purpose, the same'being shown in Fig. 1 of the annexed drawings. In this connection, however, I do not desire to limit myself to the apparatus shown in Fig. 1, or to any specific form of apparatus, as the reaction may be carried out in any form of apparatus that is suited, In a suitable chamber, for example, a retort l, I place a suitable mixture of aluminum carbid (A1 0 and a suitable chlorid of the character above mentioned, for example, lead chlorid (PbCl These substances are referably mixed in such proportions" by weight, that the chlorin description content of the chlorid employed, and the aluminum content ofthe carbid employed,

emflploy these proate the reaction.

preferably ground so as to pass through a sieve of eight meshes to the inch, or finer, and the lead chlorid is in the granular or powder form so as to insure a thorough mixture of the two'substances, and to result in a complete reaction throughout the entire mass of the mixture.

The reaction between the aluminum carbid and the lead chlorid is initiated in any suitable manner, for example, by an application of heat to the mixture, which may be done in any suitable manner, for example, by the use of a resistance element such asa carbon pencil 1 embedded in the mixture, preferably near the top thereof, and adapted to be heated by an electric current from electrodes 2 The exothermic reaction will be initiated when the mixture is heated to about 380 (1, but this temperature may vary with the different chlorids used. 380 C. will initiate the reaction-between aluminum carbid and lead chlorid; some of the other chlorids named require a somewhat higher temperature. These temperatures need not .be stated in each instance, because those skilled in the art will understand that the temperature should be suflicient to initi- I have found that this temperature will vary for the difierent chlorids anywhere from 200 C; to 700 C.

When the mixture of aluminum carbid and lead chlorid has been heated sufficiently to result in a reaction at any point, the reaction proceeds vigorously and spreads throughout the mass, at times with incandescence. The chlorin content of the lead chlorid will combine with the aluminum content ofthe aluminum carbid, thereby producing anhydrous aluminum chlorid (AlC1 in volatile form, which can be carried off from the retort through an outlet pipe 3 and conveyed to a suitable condenser or battery of condensers 4, preferably provided with a baffie 4 where the aluminum chlorid will become condensed. As byreducts of the reaction described, will be ound metallic lead admixed with carbon remaining in the retort 1. Said by-products may be removed from the retort 1 through a bottom trap-door 5 and each of the condensers mav be provided with a trap-bottom 6 to permit removal of the condensed anhydrous aluminum chlorid. It will be understood that the retort 1 ma be provided with a top cover and seal 7 or charging the mixture of aluminum carbid and the chorid into the retort.

The above procedure may be followed in carryin out the invention, employing any of the c lorids of the class heretofore mentioned in which the electro-positive element is lower than aluminum in the electro-chem- .ical scale in relation to its aflinity for chlorin, and in which the temperature of boiling earner minum carbid to form anhydrous aluminum chlorid, forexample, tin chlorid, cadmium chlorid, bismuth chlorid, mercury chlorids, lead chlorids and the copper chlorids. In all of these cases the chlorid and aluminum carbid are mixed preferably in the combining proportions, as described with reference to lead chlorid, and the reaction is initiated by an application of heat to some part of the mixture. In all cases the anhydrous aluminum chlorid is volatilized and may be carried off and condensed.

I have described above my invention in so far as it comtemplates the employment of chlorids in admixture with aluminum carbid, or inwhich the said compounds are in actual contact in a solid form. The invention also contemplates the performance of the reaction by employing chlorids which are volatile at the kindling temperatures at which the reaction between the chlorid and aluminum carbid takes place or is initiated,

for example, boron chlorid (BGl phos-- carrying out this aspect of the invention, although I do not limit myself thereto. In Fig. 2, 8 designates a retort in which is placed the aluminum carbid, preferablyground to the mesh heretofore described, and said retort is connected by an inlet duct 9 with a receptacle or pct 10*, having a suitable cover 11 and adapted to receive the boron drawings, I have shown an apparatus for chlorid,silicon chlorid, chlorid of phosphorus, or chlorids of sulfur. heated in any suitable manner (not shown) to a temperature sufficient to volatilize the chlorid contained therein. The temperatures This pot is below 100 C. will be. sufficient to volatilize many of the chlorids of this class. volatilized chlorid vapor is conducted to the retort 8 through the duct 9 and delivered in the retort preferably at a point adjacent the lower ortion of the body of the alu- The minum car 1d, so as to pass upward through I the latter and be disseminated throughout the carbid. The aluminum carbid is prefer ably supported on a grid 8. The heated volatile products pass intothe retort, and the reaction may be initiated by a carbon pencil, but preferably by external heating, for example, gas burner 8 whereupon, the reaction takes place resulting in the formation of volatile anhydrous aluminum chlorid which passes from the retort 8 through the duct 13 into a suitable condenser or condensers 14, where the anhydrous alummum chlorid sublimes, and may be recovered and withdrawn from the condenser through the bottom trap 15. In case of the chlorid of phosphorus, the phosphorus will be volatilized and pass over into the condensers with the aluminum chlorid, from which it may be separated by a fractional sublimation, but in the case of the silicon chlorid and the boron chlorid, the product of the reaction will be found admixed with carbon in the retort, and the volatile anhydrous aluminum chlorid will pass to the condensers I as heretofore stated.

\Vhat I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. A process of producing anhydrous aluminum chlorid, which consists in contacting aluminum carbid with a chlorid of an element below aluminum in the electrochemical scale in relation to the affinity for chlorin, under conditions suited to initiating a reaction between the same.

2. A process of producing anhydrous aluminum chlorid, which consists in contacting aluminum carbid with a chlorid of an element below aluminum in the electrochemical scale in relation to the affinity for chlorin, and initiating a reaction between the same by subjecting the same or some part thereof to heat.

3. A process of producing anhydrous aluminum chlorid, which consists in contacting aluminum carbid with a chlorid of an element below aluminum in the electro-chemical scale in relation to the aflinity for chlorin, initiating areaction between the same, and condensing the volatile anhydrous aluminum chlorid resulting from the reaction.

4. A process of producing anhydrous aluminum chlorid, which consists in contacting a volatilized chlorid ofan element below aluminum in the electro-chemical scale in relation to the affinity for chlorin, with aluminum carbid under conditions suited to initiating a reaction between the same.

5., A process of producing anhydrous aluminum chlorid, which consists in contacting a volatilized chlorid of an element below aluminum in the electro-chemical scale in relation to the afiinity for chlorinwith aluminum carbid, and initiating a reaction between the same by an application of heat.

6. A process of producing anhydrous aluminum chlorid, which consists in contacting aluminum carbid with a chlorid of an element below aluminum in the electro-chemical scale in relation to the aflinity for chlorin, under conditions suited to initiating a reaction between the same, said carbid and chlorid being used in the proportion of their combining weights.

7. A process of producing anhydrous aluminum chlorid, which consists in contacting aluminum carbid with a chlorid of an element below aluminum in the electro-chemical scale in relation to the aflinity for chlorin, and causing a reaction between the same.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses. I

LOUIS BURGESS.

Witnesses: C. G. HEYLMUN,

AGNES CUNNEEN. 

